[3] Over the next 35 years it built vehicles for GM's Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac divisions, originally known as "BOC" for Buick/Oldsmobile/Cadillac, but two of those nameplates have since been discontinued.

The plant included a "welfare department" that looked after workers’ social needs and, reflecting the innovative nature of the Dodge brothers, a machine shop they called "the Playpen," where employees who wanted to fix or invent things could indulge in their ideas after hours.

The factory was approximately two miles south of Lynch Road Assembly, which built Plymouth products exclusively until 1962.

[11] The facility remained dormant until 1981, when General Motors moved to purchase the plant for $1 to build a new factory.

GM's acquisition of part of the property through eminent domain, and the subsequent clearing of this section of the neighborhood, was the subject of various protests and court battles.

Eventually, the case went to the Michigan Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of General Motors, stating that economic development is a legitimate use of eminent domain.

Detroit Mayor Coleman Young sided with GM, seeking new jobs and investments for the struggling area.

The site is near (south) of another GM facility at the time, called Chevrolet Gear & Axle Division, which itself was the combination of two former factories, called Detroit Gear and Axle and Detroit Forge, which had occupied the location at Holbrook Avenue to the south, Lumpkin Street to the east, Poland Avenue to the north and I-75 to the west.

)[14][15] While some residents protested the GM's sweeping development plans, others supported the efforts to build the new plant.

Gary Campbell, a Poletown resident and bar owner, accused those opposing the new plant of presenting the opinions of a small minority as if they represented the entire neighborhood.

"[17] A small Jewish cemetery, Beth Olem, occupies part of the grounds of the GM Assembly at the extreme northwest corner of the property, next to the water treatment facility.

[25][26] In February, 2019, General Motors (GM) announced that production of the Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac CT6 would continue at Detroit/Hamtramck Assembly until early 2020.

[27] Coincident with the discontinuation of the CT6 and Impala in 2020, the factory began a retooling to build electric vehicles, starting with the GMC Hummer EV.

[5] The first GMC Hummer EV Pickup rolled off the assembly line at the rebranded Factory Zero on December 17, 2021.